Fat and fun cannot be used in the same sentence, especially when it comes to plus size shopping. It can simply be frustrating and emotionally draining to shop when you’re overweight (or in my case obese). Anyway, there is nothing like a shopping excursion to remind me of just how inconvenient being overweight really is. I recently had to shop for a dress for a wedding on the beach. Exciting right? NO! This can be taxing even for a small woman. So if your measurements are 50 54 60…..well lets just say you got problems. We as women are typically soooo hard on ourselves and unfortunately, tend to seek perfection. And for the “normal” size woman, there are tons of retail options to help land that perfect look. But for me, on the other hand, at the time a size 28-30, the choices were ironically “slim” pickins. So perfection is not usually a goal when shopping for a plus size dress. I just want something to cover and camouflage, if you know what I mean. So I began my search weeks in advance because I knew this would end badly if I waited until the last minute. I know someone is thinking, “Aren’t there plus size sections in all department stores?” Well, yes, however the sizes usually only go up to 24 AND I think the buyers for the plus size section of certain stores (that will remain nameless) seem to have this idea that plus sized women are all over the age of 70. I mean seriously? Just because I’m thick does not mean I want to look like an upholstered bean bag. And even the retail shops that exclusively sell plus size apparel often don’t have size 28s or 30s in stock. So after spending days browsing the only 2 plus size shops in the universe that sell stylish clothes for the large woman, I went ahead and ordered a linen capri set from Jessica London online and a smock cover-up that could pass for a dress online from Lane Bryant. Both, I eventually returned. Don’t get me wrong, they were both very nice. But you ever hear the saying, “its not you, its me” when someone is being dumped? Well, thats my relationship with clothes. Its not them its me. Thats why shopping is so my reality check. I discovered that no matter what I find or how much time I put into shopping, I am still not going to be satisfied with how I “look” in something. This is not to say that plus size women arent attractive. I mean, I think I’m actually kinda fine at a size 20 or 22. And if not for health reasons and activity level, being a size 22 would suit me since it does open up a few more shopping options. BUT there is that whole heart disease and diabetes thing I’m trying to avoid. So my weight loss goal will most certainly have to be much smaller than size 22. And as I said, there are many beautiful and attractive plus size women. But for me, I have personally reached a size that does not look good on me. And as horrible as it is, shopping might just be the motivation I need to peel the fat! So when I begin to try on clothes and quickly realize that how I imagined I’d look and how I really look are two different things, I could choose to do one or two things. One, I could get depressed, maybe even shed a tear, go home and avoid shopping again until I’m forced to because of some unavoidable upcoming event. Or I could determine in my mind that little by little, slowly but surely, my shopping experiences will go from frustrating to fantastic! And having already lost 29 pounds since the wedding shopping nightmare, I’m already starting to dread shopping a little bit less than before. On a positive note, even though there aren’t many physical plus size retail stores, there are literally hundreds of online stores offering stylish, plus size clothing. Just be sure to sign up for email offers, look for free shipping, and know the return policies and procedures. Now go ahead, shop til you drop! ( a pound)